Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 318

After getting back to my desk, I called Stanley right away to let him know about Christopher's decision.

I figured Stanley would be on board immediately.

But to my surprise, he was pretty worked up. "No way, absolutely not. Willie was already hesitant about coming to AutoForge Workshop. If Mr. Collins steps in with his cold attitude, it'll just push Willie further away. Willie has a strong personality, just like Mr. Collins. This won't work; Mr. Collins will just make things worse."

"Stanley, how can you say that about Mr. Collins? He focuses on the job, not the person. When it comes to handling things, he never drops the ball." I couldn't help but defend Christopher.

Stanley wasn't having it. "As Mr. Collins' secretary, I don't know how you put up with his personality. If anything, I admire you. Mr. Collins' temperament might scare Willie off before he even starts talking. How can we negotiate like that?"

"I don't see it that way. Sometimes you can't judge by appearances. You mentioned Mr. Collins and Willie are alike—proud people often respect each other rather than clash. Maybe you and the others couldn't persuade Willie because your strategy was off."

"Ms. Turner, you're something else. No wonder Mr. Collins is lucky to have you as his secretary. You're young, beautiful, capable, and charming. How about you leave Mr. Collins and work for me instead? I'll double your salary."

Even though I had thought about quitting, working for Stanley never crossed my mind.

So I just said, "Mr. Collins is great. I learn a lot from being around him. Stanley, really, let's try it Christopher's way."

"Fine, since Willie turned me down, there's no other option for now. We'll try it your way. But if Mr. Collins fails, don't blame me."

Stanley's agreement made me happy. "Great!"

Stanley said he'd confirm the time and place and let me know.

With that settled, I focused on my work without any other worries.

A few days later, I got a call from Blair.

We'd interacted enough times to exchange contact info, but she usually wouldn't call me.

I quickly answered, "Blair..."

But there was no sound on the other end.

I frowned, wondering if she had dialed the wrong number.

Just as I was about to hang up, I heard Marlowe's angry voice.

"Blair, I pay your salary. Why are you listening to others? Didn't I say Hayes shouldn't be matched? How dare you make decisions on your own? Do you even respect me as your employer?"

Marlowe's words were pretty harsh.

Blair paused, then tried to reason with her, "Ms. Grey, everyone is trying to help you. If Hayes is matched, what if it works?"

"I said it won't work. Can't you understand? I'm Hayes' guardian. How dare you bypass me and let Hayes be matched?"

I couldn't understand why Marlowe was so dead set against the match.

Suddenly, a bold guess popped into my mind.

I quickly called Quinlan and asked her to follow my instructions.

"Why a DNA test? Are you suggesting they might not be siblings? How is that possible? If Hayes isn't Marlowe's brother, why did she go through so much trouble to bring him out and personally hire someone to care for him?"Quinlan was clearly skeptical of my guess.

I couldn't fully understand it either.

But I had a hunch, and the test wasn't difficult. "It won't hurt to check."

Quinlan trusted me immensely and usually followed my suggestions.

"Alright, Melinda, I'll do as you say," Quinlan agreed.

I asked about Quinlan's work and life. Her life had become peaceful, probably more relaxed than ever.

After chatting for a bit, we hung up.

I felt a mix of excitement and anticipation.

If Marlowe and Hayes weren't related, Marlowe's choice of guardian wouldn't count. With Hayes' reliance on Quinlan and Magnus as his mentor, we might have a chance to secure Hayes' custody.

This would benefit Hayes and AutoForge Workshop.

But I had to wait for Quinlan's test results before telling Christopher.

I called Blair again to check on her situation.

Marlowe was like a ticking time bomb, and her earlier outburst might have hurt Blair.

Blair was indeed shaken but had just calmed down.

She thanked me for my concern and updated me on Marlowe's condition. "Luckily, Mr. Cook noticed and called the nurses and doctors in time. They gave Ms. Grey a sedative, and she calmed down. But her condition is worsening."

I wasn't sure if Blair meant Marlowe's mental state or her leukemia.

As for Jason's timely arrival, I heard he was almost always by Marlowe's side now.

Despite Marlowe using him and discarding him like a tool, I thought Jason's pride would keep him away from her. But he seemed to be treating her even better now.

People without morals were despicable, but those with too much moral sense could be pitiful, trapped by their own principles.

I hoped Christopher's investigation would reveal hidden truths from the past, saving Jason, an excellent lawyer, from ruin.

While I was waiting for results, Paula shared gossip about her family.

In her words, watching Theodosia and Liliana's foolishness added spice to her life.

Paula said, "Just as I predicted. A few days after our call, Mrs. Collins invited Theodosia and Liliana for shopping and gave Theodosia many expensive gifts, praising her endlessly."

She continued, "Theodosia is truly naive. She doesn't realize that despite the entertainment industry being more accepted now, the Collins family, an old and prestigious family, still cares about reputation. Mrs. Collins values these things and has her own preferred daughter-in-law. There's no way she'd genuinely favor Theodosia.""Mrs. Collins praised her looks and acting skills, promising to introduce her to top investors and directors. And Theodosia foolishly believed her."

I could imagine Faye smiling warmly, flattering Theodosia, and the naive girl being completely taken in, even becoming devoted to Faye.

Paula also told me how Theodosia flaunted the gifts from Faye in front of her.

Theodosia acted like a nouveau riche, showing off bracelets, rings, and diamonds. "It's just a jade bracelet. You were so proud, showing it off online. I have what you have, and more. Now, you must be jealous of me. Too bad, Mrs. Collins values me, and soon I'll be famous because she's introducing me to a top director. I'll be filming and winning awards soon."

Paula couldn't help but laugh.